Preliminary Report (September 2001)
The weather was basically fine in the morning at Phnom Penh.
But, in the late afternoon and in the evening we often had
severe rainfalls. Some roads became a river.
(Left) Several minutes before it starts raining (at DOM).
(Right) It rains (in Phnom Penh).
The Tonle Sap river at Phnom Penh. Note that "Tonle" means
river. (Right) One of the most beautiful streets in Phnom Penh
along the river.
Rainbow over the Tonle Sap river at Phnom Penh.
Ms. Vannareth Seth, the director of Department of Meteorology
(DOM), Ministry of Water Resources and Meteorology (MWRM).
Weather forecasting processes at DOM.
Seminar at DOM.
The synoptic weather station at Kompong Som (Sihanoukville).
It faces on the Gulf of Thailand. We had rainfalls in the morning
there.
The chief of the provincial office of MWRM told us that they
really need to make a local weather forcast because fishermen often
meet with weather accidents at sea. But, at present they do not
know how to do it.
Voyage from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. You can choose the seat
either inside or at the top of the boat. We chose the latter,
of course.
The Tonle Sap river was quiet.
At Kompong Chhnang some passangers and baggages came by a small
boat and got aboard in the middle of the river.
The great lake, Tonle Sap, was like an ocean.
We finally arrived at the port near Phnom Krom, a landmark hill
of Siem Reap. This unforgettable journey took five hours and a half.
Flight from Siem Reap back to Phnom Penh.
(Left) The West Baray, (center) Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, and
(right) the East Baray (right).
Rivers can be distinguished by lines of trees. But, the rest
of the surface was also flooded. This is the flood of the Mekong
river. Note this is a normal condition at this time of the year.
Several minutes before the landing. You can see the Japanese
bridge (Chruoy Changvar Bridge) over the Tonle Sap River (right).
The photographer.
Masatomo Fujiwara
Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University, Japan